Nelson and his dog Blackout, on the Christopher St. Piers

In 1976, the Chelsea Piers was a series of decaying waterfront structures beginning at the end of Christopher Street across the West Side Highway  and extending through Chelsea. Throughout the 1970’s, the Piers were a hotspot for gay men to enjoy the sunshine, cruise each other or congregate with community in public. Artist Nelson Sullivan captures this moment in gay history in his Super 8 film of the Piers from 1976.